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Kingsbury says he's unsure if Cumbie leaving for TCU job

Tech coach says interest in co-OC is credit to Cumbie

Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury stands next to offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie during a game this season. (Stephen Spillman)

Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said early on in his tenure and more than once that he wants a staff full of ambitious assistants who want to be head coaches. He might be confronting the inevitable first instance of a staffer ready for a career move.

Kingsbury had little to offer Friday about speculation Sonny Cumbie will be hired at TCU, but said he would understand if it comes to pass.

“I think it’s a credit to what he’s done here,” Kingsbury said. “I think if he does take that job, we’ll be proud he’s coveted in that manner, that they’d reach out to him. That’s the way the profession goes. When you have success like he’s had, you’re going to try to progress and move forward in your career.”

Cumbie is the Red Raiders’ co-offensive coordinator and outside receivers coach. A report on the TCU site FrogsoWar.com said Cumbie was rumored to be joining the TCU staff as co-offensive coordinator.

“I’m not sure,” Kingsbury said when asked whether Cumbie is leaving. “He’s been on the road recruiting, so you’d have to ask him on that one.

“I haven’t had a sitdown conversation with him yet.”

The Horned Frogs just announced the hiring on Thursday of Doug Meacham as offensive coordinator. Meacham was the OC this year at Houston.

The TCU web site report suggested that more money and the opportunity to coach quarterbacks would be incentives for Cumbie. Kingsbury promoted Cumbie from inside receivers coach to co-offensive coordinator and raised his pay from $160,000 to $210,000, as the Avalanche-Journal first reported in February.

Kingsbury agreed when he was asked if part of his role was to help his assistants further their careers.

“If you’re not, then you’re not doing something right,” Kingsbury said. “Watching coach (Kevin) Sumlin and all the guys he’s had on his staffs (advance to other jobs), it’s a credit to him and the success he’s had. So we’d love to have everybody here become a head coach. That’s everybody’s goal that’s in this program.”

Sumlin is the head coach at Texas A&M and the coach for whom Kingsbury worked for five years and at two programs.

Kingsbury said he and Cumbie “have had discussions about career-oriented goals,” but said he’d keep the details private.

Jones practicing

Cornerback Bruce Jones has been practicing this week and will play in the Holiday Bowl this month against Arizona State, Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said Friday.

“He’s healthy,” Kingsbury said. “We sat him out, did a concussion (check) with him, and he’ll be ready to go for the bowl game. He’s been practicing, I guess, about a week now.”

Jones suffered a scary-looking injury in the Red Raiders’ regular-season finale when his head and shoulder slammed into Texas’ running back Malcolm Brown’s thigh.

Jones lay on the turf for several minutes as medical staffers immobilized his head and upper body, placed him onto a backboard and carted him off the field.

Tech said shortly thereafter that Jones was treated for a concussion and would be OK.